1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,802 ♪ (intro music) ♪ 2 00:00:03,802 --> 00:00:05,324 Enrichment and training programs 3 00:00:05,337 --> 00:00:08,338 are ingrained in the work that we do every day. 4 00:00:08,338 --> 00:00:11,253 They're not extras, they're not if we have time, 5 00:00:11,253 --> 00:00:15,328 they are the baseline for animal care, here at the Academy. 6 00:00:15,485 --> 00:00:18,721 We have 38,000 animals under our care, 7 00:00:18,721 --> 00:00:23,168 everything from leafcutter ants to American alligator, to sharks. 8 00:00:23,516 --> 00:00:25,087 That looks different for everyone. 9 00:00:25,087 --> 00:00:29,448 You're not going to have the same program for an octopus than a leafcutter ant. 10 00:00:29,448 --> 00:00:33,316 But we do take all of their needs and conditions 11 00:00:33,316 --> 00:00:36,586 that need to be met for them to really thrive into consideration. 12 00:00:36,586 --> 00:00:41,683 So, everything from naturalistic exhibits and mixed-species exhibits 13 00:00:41,683 --> 00:00:43,151 to formal training programs, 14 00:00:43,151 --> 00:00:45,561 where we're focusing on specific behaviors, 15 00:00:45,561 --> 00:00:48,531 is to provide a lot of choices within the environments 16 00:00:48,531 --> 00:00:50,841 for the animals to choose from on a daily basis. 17 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,183 Each one has its personality. 18 00:00:53,183 --> 00:00:57,290 In fact, that's one of the easiest ways we can distinguish between who's who. 19 00:00:57,290 --> 00:01:01,081 Some of them are a little more shy, Some will come up to you right away. 20 00:01:01,081 --> 00:01:03,150 Some will hang out with you the whole time. 21 00:01:03,150 --> 00:01:06,018 Getting in with them is probably the highlight of my week. 22 00:01:06,018 --> 00:01:08,449 The minute we get in, we're just surrounded by them, 23 00:01:08,449 --> 00:01:10,726 whether they want a little scratch on the nose 24 00:01:10,726 --> 00:01:13,319 or to be kind of pet on the head. 25 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,017 They like that interaction, even when there's no treat. 26 00:01:16,017 --> 00:01:19,717 We not only take care of the rays, we monitor their diets. 27 00:01:19,717 --> 00:01:22,304 We'll put different objects in their habitat 28 00:01:22,304 --> 00:01:23,822 just to keep things different. 29 00:01:23,822 --> 00:01:26,444 In the wild, their habitat would be constantly changing, 30 00:01:26,444 --> 00:01:30,134 and that keeps their mind moving, active and curious. 31 00:01:30,134 --> 00:01:31,424 ♪ (music) ♪ 32 00:01:31,424 --> 00:01:34,957 Every morning, we do enrichment during the feeding programs. 33 00:01:34,957 --> 00:01:37,807 For the scale training, they're stepping up onto the scale. 34 00:01:37,807 --> 00:01:39,991 We can see if their weight is fluctuating. 35 00:01:39,991 --> 00:01:43,258 For they can't talk to us, we don't know if they're not feeling well, 36 00:01:43,258 --> 00:01:46,742 if they're getting sick, so weight decreases and eating less food 37 00:01:46,742 --> 00:01:48,970 is really important for us to talk to our vet 38 00:01:48,970 --> 00:01:51,340 and see what he thinks might be going on. 39 00:01:51,340 --> 00:01:52,736 Enrichment can be anything 40 00:01:52,736 --> 00:01:57,749 from putting logs and rocks in the exhibit, or nesting material. 41 00:01:57,749 --> 00:02:00,184 I'll hand it out and they'll grab it with their beak 42 00:02:00,184 --> 00:02:01,981 and then bring it back to their nest. 43 00:02:01,981 --> 00:02:05,214 We want to have changes in there, something new in their environment 44 00:02:05,214 --> 00:02:07,487 or that stimulates their brain in a certain way. 45 00:02:07,697 --> 00:02:10,928 The enrichment's definitely important for our personal relationship, 46 00:02:10,929 --> 00:02:14,352 so they can trust me more, I can trust them a little bit more. 47 00:02:14,352 --> 00:02:16,352 They know that I'm not trying to hurt them. 48 00:02:16,352 --> 00:02:17,414 ♪ (music) ♪ 49 00:02:17,414 --> 00:02:21,534 Training is really building a language between you and an animal. 50 00:02:21,534 --> 00:02:23,500 We can't ask them questions, 51 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:26,411 so we have to find a way to communicate with each other 52 00:02:26,411 --> 00:02:31,738 to identify what we want from them and what they want and need from us, too. 53 00:02:31,738 --> 00:02:34,102 It allows us to actually move them back and forth 54 00:02:34,102 --> 00:02:35,699 between their night quarters, 55 00:02:35,699 --> 00:02:39,078 and, when they're on exhibit during the day, in the Rainforest. 56 00:02:39,078 --> 00:02:44,443 Another example of their training program is nail trimming or clippings. 57 00:02:44,443 --> 00:02:47,202 That's a routine part of their care 58 00:02:47,202 --> 00:02:49,923 and makes veterinary exams a little easier. 59 00:02:50,744 --> 00:02:52,595 Other programs include some fun, 60 00:02:52,595 --> 00:02:56,892 and with macaws it's usually related to chewing and food. 61 00:02:56,892 --> 00:02:58,311 They're natural chewers, 62 00:02:58,311 --> 00:03:03,446 they forage all day long in the forests looking for fruits and seeds and nuts. 63 00:03:03,446 --> 00:03:06,723 So we give them browse that we cut out of the Rainforest. 64 00:03:06,723 --> 00:03:09,025 I also love giving them puzzle toys, 65 00:03:09,025 --> 00:03:12,844 so I actually hide parts of their food, or treats like nuts, 66 00:03:12,844 --> 00:03:14,726 in items that they have to manipulate 67 00:03:14,726 --> 00:03:16,851 and try to figure out how to get them out of. 68 00:03:16,851 --> 00:03:18,761 That's really good stimulation for them. 69 00:03:18,761 --> 00:03:19,559 ♪ (music) ♪ 70 00:03:19,559 --> 00:03:21,028 It's really fantastic. 71 00:03:21,028 --> 00:03:24,517 Having to problem solve, to make sure that the animals in your care 72 00:03:24,517 --> 00:03:26,841 are truly receiving the highest quality care 73 00:03:26,841 --> 00:03:28,662 is really exciting, 74 00:03:28,662 --> 00:03:32,353 and then to also be able to turn around and share that with our guests, 75 00:03:32,353 --> 00:03:35,603 to really let these ambassador animals shine through 76 00:03:35,603 --> 00:03:38,920 to educate and inspire everybody. 77 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:44,236 It really reinforces the idea that, as living organisms, we're all connected, 78 00:03:44,236 --> 00:03:47,943 we have so much in common, and we're really not that different. 79 00:03:47,943 --> 00:03:50,809 We all care about where we're going to get our food, 80 00:03:50,809 --> 00:03:53,635 do we have shelter, all those important things. 81 00:03:53,635 --> 00:03:56,353 It's really not different for all of these creatures, too. 82 00:03:56,353 --> 00:03:59,571 Watching that every day kind of reestablishes that connection, 83 00:03:59,571 --> 00:04:01,678 for me, to the rest of the living world. 84 00:04:02,062 --> 00:04:05,354 ♪ (music) ♪